Storage-battery counter cell



W. E. KERSHAW.

STORAGE BATTERY COUNTERCELL.

APPLICATION FILED 05022 1920.

PatentedfDec. 5,1922.

m mm

AVA 40015 Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STORAGE-BATTERY COUNTER CELL.

Continuation of application Serial No. 324,506, filed September 18, 1919. This application filed December.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM ERNEST Knnsiuw, 'a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,

' have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Storage-Battery Counter Cells, of which the following is' aspecification.

This application is a renewal of my ap plication, Serial No. 324,506, filed September 18th, 1919.

Storage battery cells, usually of little or no capacity, are frequently used to furnish counter electro-motive. force, or inother words, are used in some cases instead of resistance and when used or intended -for use]. for such purposes are called counter cel s.

In use counter cells areQsubjec-t to rapid deterioration and disintegration and it is the principal object of the present invention to avoid those defects and disadvantages and to provide counter cells of long life and great durability.

The drawing diagrammatically shows, principally in section, a cell intended for use as a counter cell.

In the drawing 1 is the anode or positive pole plate, and it is. insoluble in the electrolyte 2, and 3 is the cathode or negative pole plate, The plate structures are preferably of lead or leaden material or lead alloy on acco-unt'of the comparatively high voltage available when that material is employed, but other material or materials complying with the described conditions may be employed. The invention consists in the combination, in a counter cell, of an insoluble anode, and a depolarizing agent the operation of which is regenerative. Bichromate of potassium or its equivalent sodium salt is added to the electrolyte in the case of lead or leaden plates give approximately the same voltage as without its addition, but reduces corrosion on the anode to such an extent that the life of the cell is many times that of similar cells heretofore used as counter cells. Of course bichromate of potassium or sodium is an example of a 22, 1920. Se1ial No. 432,399.

depolarizing agent and the invention is not necessarily limited thereto. the anode is insoluble, the operation of the depolarize-r is regenerative; for example, the bichromate salt, which has been changed to chromic acid through the action of the sulphuric acid 'in the electrolyte, gives up oxygen at the cathode, this oxygen combin- .ing with the hydrogen given off at the cathode to form water, and the chromic acid is thus reduced. This reduced chromic acid coming in contact with the nascent oxygen at 'the anode is re-oxidized and hence is regenerated.

- .In the case of lead or-leaden plates, the addition of approximately 3% by Weight of the bichroma-te of sodium tosulphuric acid electrolyte of approximately 1,200 specific gravity gives excellent results.

The invention being chemical or electrochemical I desire to state that I claim the wide range of equivalents permissible in such cases.

I claim: 1

1. In a cell for use as a counter cell the combination with an electrolyte and an anode insoluble in the electrolyte of a depolarizing agent, substantially as described.

2. In a lead sulphuric acid secondary cell for use as a counter cell the combination with the insoluble leaden anode of an ad mixture of a depolarizing agent with the sulphuric acid electrolyte, substantially as described.

' 3. In a counter cell the combination of an electrolyte and an anode insoluble in the electrolyte and a bichromate salt constitut- Inasmuch as ing a depolarizing agent, substantially as 

